As you prepare to graduate from Barry University, you are not just completing your academic journey; you are contributing to the future of the institution and the students who will follow behind you. The First Destination Survey (FDS), guided by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) standards, captures what comes next for you—whether that is employment, graduate school, service, entrepreneurship, or continued exploration. While the survey takes only a few minutes to complete, its impact is far-reaching.
Starting October 2026, The First Destination Survey will be a requirement for Diploma Release. Institutional Research will be emailing you directly with your unique survey link about your post-graduation plans, please complete this survey accordingly for Diploma Release.
First Destination Survey - Barry University Graduating Students
First Destination Survey — Frequently Asked Questions
-
The First Destination Survey (FDS) is a brief survey for all graduating students that helps Barry University understand what our graduates are doing after completing their degrees.
The survey captures information about your next step, including employment, graduate or professional school, military or service programs, entrepreneurship, and other post-graduation plans.
Barry University’s survey follows standards established by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) for collecting information about the outcomes of college graduates.
-
We want every graduate's next step to be represented.
Your response helps Barry University understand where our graduates go, evaluate how effectively we are preparing students for life after graduation, and identify opportunities to strengthen career preparation, academic programs, employer partnerships, internships, and other student resources.
When graduates don't respond, their experiences are missing from Barry's story.
-
Every response helps create a more accurate picture of the experiences and outcomes of Barry graduates. Whether you have already accepted your dream job, are continuing your education, are still exploring opportunities, or have chosen another path, your experience matters and should be counted.
The FDS isn't only about reporting who has a job. It is about understanding the many different paths Barry graduates take.
-
You should still complete the survey. You do not need to have secured employment or finalized your next step to respond. The survey provides options that reflect different circumstances, including actively seeking employment or continuing education.
Not having your next step finalized does not make your response any less important. In fact, this information can help Barry University better understand where graduating students may need additional career support.
-
That counts as a first destination. Graduate school, professional school, continuing education, employment, service, military service, entrepreneurship, and other pathways can all be reflected in the FDS.
-
Please still complete the First Destination Survey.
Individual colleges and academic programs may collect information for their own purposes. The FDS provides Barry with a consistent, university-wide approach to understanding graduate outcomes across academic programs.
-
FDS information helps Barry University:
- Understand employment and continuing-education outcomes of graduates.
- Identify industries, employers, graduate schools, and career pathways pursued by Barry graduates.
- Improve career-readiness programs and student resources.
- Strengthen relationships with employers and graduate/professional schools.
- Inform institutional planning and decision-making.
- Demonstrate the value and impact of a Barry University education.
Provide future students with a clearer understanding of where a Barry University degree can lead.
Graduate outcomes are generally communicated through aggregate institutional reporting rather than as individual student stories, consistent with applicable university policies and reporting practices.
-
Your experience becomes part of the information Barry University can use to make decisions about programs, services, and opportunities for future students.
For example, knowing where graduates find employment, which industries they enter, where they pursue advanced degrees, and where graduates are still seeking opportunities can help Barry University determine where additional employer relationships, internships, career programming, or student support may be needed.
Your response helps strengthen the pathway for the students coming behind you.
-
The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) is a national professional association that establishes widely used standards and protocols for collecting and reporting college graduate outcomes.
Using common standards allows institutions like Barry University to collect graduate outcomes in a consistent and credible manner. -
The survey is designed to be brief and should take only a few minutes to complete.
-
That's okay. Your response reflects what you know at the time you complete it. If an opportunity changes or you secure employment or admission to a graduate program later, updated information can help Barry maintain the most accurate picture possible of graduate outcomes.
-
Yes, Starting October 2026, The First Destination Survey will be a requirement for Diploma Release. Institutional Research will be emailing you directly with your unique survey link about your post-graduation plans, please complete this survey accordingly for Diploma Release.
The purpose of this requirement is to ensure that the experiences of Barry graduates are accurately represented in our university-wide graduate outcomes data.
-
Career and Experiential Learning (CEL) is here to support you beyond graduation.
If you indicate that you are still seeking employment or exploring your next step, we encourage you to remain connected with CEL for career coaching, job-search resources, employer opportunities, networking, and other career support.
-
For questions about the First Destination Survey or post-graduation career support, please contact:
Career and Experiential Learning
Barry University
cel@barry.edu